The Noble Swordsman
by Byakko Loki
Summary: How much is known about Zoro's past? What happened before he met Kuina? Who raised him? Well, the Strawhats are about to find out, when a raven drops a letter on the deck of the Sunny... Who is Reyleón? And how does Zoro know him? And - wait, WHAT! What do you mean Zoro's a noble! That's impossible, he's ZORO!...right? Warnings for child abuse, spousal abuse, and a guilty Zoro...
1. Flashback

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece._

* * *

><p><strong><span>The Noble Swordsmen<span>**

**Chapter 1: Flashback**

* * *

><p><strong>[ FLASHBACK: START ]<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Father! Father!" A young boy, with moss colored green hair, called out.<em>

_"Not now, boy! Can't you tell I'm busy?" A older man spoke, as his pen scratched furiously on the expensive parchment._

_He appeared to be of noble class, judging from his expensive and fancy attire, as well as decor. He sported the same pale green hair as the boy, along with fair skin, that suggested he hadn't been out in a while. He sneered when the child didn't go away._

_"But, father! Father, I-"_

_"Address me as 'sir', boy." The man interrupted._

_"Y-yes, father-er-I mean, sir."_

_"Hmpth."_

_"..."_

_"..."_

_"S-sir..."_

_The man sighed. "What is it, boy?"_

_"S-sir! I have a dream!"_

_"Everyone has dreams, boy - that's nothing special."_

_"Not that kind of dream! A dream!"_

_He made a look of disgust. "And what, pray tell, is _that._"_

_"Mother told me about it! It is something that you will do anything to achieve, even if you die trying!"_

_"Hmth! That's pathetic! Who would try so hard for something so stupid, even going as for as to DIE for it! And you said your mother told you this?"_

_"Y-yes, sir..."_

_"I'll have to have a talk with her... So, what if your dream, now that you've gone so far to disturb me? To be a great noble, I suppose. And to become rich."_

_"No, sir! What I want is to become a swordsmen! That greatest in the world!"_

_The sneer was replaced with a look of rage and fury. "_What? _How dare you dishonor this household with such rubbish talk as that! You will _never _become a swordsmen, NEVER!"_

_"B-bu-"_

_**SMACK**_

_The boy held his cheek, where a red mark had appeared. He did not cry, as normal boys his age would do, because he knew, from experience, his father reacted badly to crying. Saw it as a sign of weakness, even in a boy of his age._

_"Y...Yes, father..."_

_The boy's father grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and held him up, close to his face._

_"I told you to call me 'sir'! How dare you be so informal to your own father!" He pulled back his fist, and was just about to strike the boy, when a woman with tanned skin, and beautiful flowing and shimmering rainbow hair, entered the room._

_"Reyleón!"_

_The man turned to face the woman before him._

_"Iris...what have you been teaching our boy... This little brat was just going on about how he wanted to be a swordsmen..."_

_Her eyes widened in fear. "Kit..." _*****

_"Kit?" Reyleón mocked. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. You must stop babying the boy!" As he said this, he threw the boy into the floor._

_"Kit!" she screamed._

_"Irritating woman!" __Reyleón__ shouted, as he grabbed her by her hair._

_"No!" she shrieked._

_"Shut up, annoying crow! This is exactly why I can't stand you!"_

_Zorro watched on in fear as his father beat his mother, helpless to do anything. When his father had thrown him onto the floor, he had shattered his wrist and injured his left shoulder, and was on the verge of blacking out._

_Just before he lost conciousness, he remembered seeing his mother, tears in her eyes, as she reached out to him, covered in wounds with his father on the floor behind to her, unconscious and bleeding heavily from a wound on his skull._

* * *

><p><strong>[ TIMESKIP ]<strong>

* * *

><p><em>When he came to, it was to his mother hurridly putting some stuff on a black bandanna, which she hurridly tyed to the end of some metal rod or stick. He recognised the bandanna as the same one she normally wore in her hair, with the Ryūnoya crest on the underside. It was tyed to the rod in a way that the crest was on the inside, and was not showing.<em>

_As soon as she realised he was concious, she hurridly handed him the rod with the bandanna, and urged him to stand. His mind was still fuzzy, so he did not really think as she led him through the halls of the mansion, and to the small hidden exit, reserved for the servants - the slaves didn't leave without their owner, so they shared the main entrences._

_His mind didn't come into focus, until he was already outside, as his mother was ushering him out of the small doorway._

_"Zorro", she said, "please remember my words... Dreams, they are precious things. If you have one, then you must do whatever it takes to reach that dream, or die trying. No matter what, you must never give up on a dream..."_

_And with that, she pushed him one last time, before closing the door on herself._

_That was the last time he ever saw his mother..._

* * *

><p><strong>[ FLASHBACK  CHAPTER 1: END ]**

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: *A kit is basically a baby fox.**

* * *

><p><strong>{ ¡JA NE! }<strong>

**-BL ~(o_O)~**


	2. Letter From a Lion

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece._

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Noble Swordsman<strong>

**Chapter 2: Letter From a Lion**

* * *

><p>Zoro was torn from his reminiscing by a kick to his torso. His eyes snapped open and he glared at the perverted cook. "What the hell do you want, curly-brow?"<p>

Sanji scoffed, "Lunch is ready, baka-marimo."

"But why'd you have to kick me ero-cook!"

"Hmpth. Just hurry up, I hate people who waste food."

"Che," Zoro said, turning away, "Whatever."

Zoro glared at Sanji as he walked away, his hand unconsciously going to fidget with his bandana - his mother's bandana - which he still kept with him. Through the fabric, he could feel the Ryūnoya crest hidden from view, as it always was. He couldn't help but let his mind drift off, back to his mother... Was she alright? Was she even still alive? It's been years since then, and he has grown both physically and mentally. Now, he is stronger, both in body and in mind. He wonders...if he could face his father, now...if he had been as strong as he is now, back then...how could things have turned out differently?

If he had never left, if he had never met Kuina - never made that promise to her to become the strongest swordsman in the world...if he never met Luffy, and joined his crew...

No, he shouldn't think about that. What was done, was done. What happened, happened, and nothing could change that. And besides - he's working hard to accomplish his dream, just like his mother told him. He would make her proud. Meanwhile...

"DAMMIT MARIMO! THE FOOD'S COLD NOW!"

* * *

><p><strong>[ TIMESKIP ]<strong>

* * *

><p>"What's that?" Nami frowned, as she stared off at something in the distance, squinting against the blazing sun.<p>

Sanji spun over to her, his eyes greatly resembling hearts, "Hmm~? What's what, Nami-chwan~?"

"That, there," she said, as she pointed to something far off and high in the sky, "it looks like one of the seagulls that deliver the newspaper, but..."

"But?"

"I think... I think it's a raven..."

"A raven?" Sanji frowned, turning his attention away from Nami for a moment, so he could look for himself, "But what's a raven doing in the middle of the ocean?"

"I think...I think it's carrying a letter...!" She said, shocked.

Sanji started, "A letter? But who..."

"Hold on, it's coming down!"

They watched as the raven swooped down and dropped a letter onto the deck before taking off again in the direction it came. Nami hesitantly approached it while calling out to Luffy, "Luffy! A weird bird just dropped a letter on the deck!"

"Eh?! A weird bird?! I wanna see, I wanna see!"

Hearing the commotion, it wasn't long until the entire crew was assembled on the deck. Lying innocently in front of them, was a thick envelope that appeared to be made of expensive parchment, with a wax seal on the front. Looking closely, the seal appeared to have the image of a dragon wrapped around a letter "R".

Nami picked it up as Luffy cheered, "Open it, open it!"

She frowned, "How do you...?"

"Here, let me," said Robin, stepping forward. She took the envelope from Nami and quickly broke the seal.

"Amazing, Robin-swan~!" Sanji swooned, while Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Brook pestered her about what it said. She took out the letter, handing the envelope off to Nami, and began to read.

"_Dear Foolish Fox_," she began, frowning. The rest of the crew that was there, minus Zoro who was snoring off to the side against the railing, listened, confused. It seemed to be addressed to a single person, but as to who... The crew silently made a general consensus that they would read further in order to hopefully find out.

And so, Robin continued. "_My Dear little Fox, I shall commend you on evading me for so many years. However, this little game of hide and seek has come to an end. Enough of this foolish running away, little Fox. Know this: I will catch you yet. The Fox can only elude the Lion for so long._

_You thought if you escaped the King's Jungle, that the Lion might leave you alone? Ha! You are too naïve, Little One. My Kit, your King has found you, and he is not happy. As for the irritating Raven, she is no more. Or at least, she soon will be. That Treacherous Crow has rotten in a Cage for years, since her Foolish Fox abandoned her. And soon, that Cage shall come crashing down._

_If the Little Coward Fox, who dreams foolish little dreams that will never come to pass, wishes to save his precious little Raven, then he shall have to come and get her, himself._

_The Cage of the Raven resides on an island of Darkness, with the appearance of an Abyss. Lacking of Light, the Cavern holds prisoner a Rainbow Crow. If you wish to see this Irritating Bird well, you shall come to the Island at your earliest convenance._

_The King of the Jungle awaits his Foolish Fox in the Cavern where the Rainbow Crow resides._

_See you soon, Little Kit..._

_Signed,_

_Rey León and Arcoiris Cuervo."_

Robin finished reading, and passed the letter to Nami to look at, while Sanji muttered "...the hell?"

"I don't get it," Nami complained, "what's all this talk about foxes and lions and crows?"

"Maybe it's a prank?" Usopp hoped.

"No," Robin intersected, "it seemed pretty serious to me. I think this letter was purposely written, so only the one who it was meant for would understand it."

"How interesting!" Brook laughed.

"This is going to be SUPER fun!" Franky said, posing.

"But what's it mean?" Sanji asked, as he lit a cigarette from his seemingly endless supply.

Robin smiled, "I think I have an idea".

"Eh? You know who it's for?" Luffy asked.

"Well," she began, "in the letter, the writer kept referring to people as animals. He called himself a lion, while addressing a fox, and spoke of a crow or a raven."

"So?"

"You see...before boats and ships were invented, and traveling between islands become frequent, many different regions would speak different languages. Nowadays, everyone tends to speak the same language, however it is not uncommon for people to be named using words from the old languages. And, of course, there are still some select few people who speak still speak, or at least understand these old languages. For example, at the end of this letter... It was signed "_Rey León and Arcoiris Cuervo,_" which translates as "King Lion and Rainbow Crow." Since he referred to himself in the letter according to the meaning of his name, it can be assumed that the "Fox" he is speaking to is named after the word for fox."

"Brilliant, Robin-swan!" Sanji cheered, swooning as he flailed his arms about and spun himself around her.

Usopp frowned and put his hand on his chin, going into a thinking pose. " But who here is named after a fox?"

"I know just the person," Robin smiled, and the crew followed her gaze to a sleeping Zoro. "In Spanish, the language used in the letter, the word for fox is _Zorro_."

The crew members reared in shock, their jaws dropping. "Z-Zoro?!"

"You've got to be _kidding_ me! _That_ idiot marimo?!"

As if sensing the stares, Zoro chose that exact moment to wake up. When he saw them all staring at him with various stages of shock, he resisted the urge to flinch, and stared at them all uncertainly.

"...what?"

Robin stepped closer to Zoro, ahead of where the rest of the crew members stood. "Zoro, do you know anyone that goes by the name of _Rey León_?"

Zoro's face slowly went from slightly unnerved to a state of obvious shock and distress. "_R-Reyleón?!_"

* * *

><p><strong>[ CHAPTER 2: END ]<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>{ ¡JA NE! }<strong>

**-BL ~(o_O)~**


	3. Ryūnoya Paradise

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece._

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN****: Dear Readers, please be aware that I've made some changes to the previous chapters - nothing significant, just fixed some things up (added a word that was missing, fixed a mistake, rephrased some sentences). The most significant change would be in chapter two, where I accidentally wrote "Roronoa crest" at the beginning of the chapter. That is incorrect - it is the Ryūnoya crest. In case you haven't figured it out by now, or I haven't been too clear, in this fanfiction Zoro's real name is Ryūnoya Zorro. He changed it to Roronoa Zoro sometime after the end of the flashback in the first chapter.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Noble Swordsman<strong>

**Chapter 3: Ryūnoya Paradise**

* * *

><p>"Wh-where did you hear that name?"<p>

The crew could hardly believe it - Zoro - _ZORO_ - was, was...was _stuttering_!

"Oi, oi, oi," Sanji said, unbelieving, "you can't be serious. This idiot marimo _can't_ be the 'fox' that Lion-guy was talking about in the letter!"

Zoro squinted his eyes as he surveyed them, "What letter?"

Luffy came forward and plopped himself down in front of Zoro, "This raven came by and dropped a letter on the deck. It had this fancy wax seal-y thing-y, and when Robin opened it there was this letter inside from a guy named Lion-something."

Zoro winced. "What...what did the letter say?"

"So, you _do_ know this Lion-guy," Sanji huffed, as he took a drag of his cigarette.

Zoro frowned, before taking a deep breath and sighing loudly. "Yeah...I know him."

"How do you know him?" Nami asked, taking the initiative and sitting herself down beside Luffy.

For a moment, Zoro debated whether or not he should answer their questions. Eventually, he resigned himself to his fate, and decided - there was no going back at this point, anyway.

Clearing his throat, Zoro sat up just a bit straighter than before, and motioned for the rest of the crew to settle down. Once they were all sitting in a semi-circle before Zoro, he spoke, "I've known Reyleón since I was child. I haven't seen him in years, though."

"How'd you meet?" Nami asked curiously.

Zoro was about to reply, but stopped himself. "First, I want to see the letter."

Nami saw no problem with it, and consented, handing over the letter she had still had in her possession. Zoro took it, and the crew watched his reaction as he read it. At first, he seem a bit pissed, but not too alarmed. More, annoyed. As he continued to read, however, his face soon morphed into one of alarm and dread - and almost, fear? No, that couldn't be. That's impossible - he's _Zoro_...right?

His face then changed to one of slight relief, before what appeared to be guilt, and then more dread. The further he got, the more the fear and dread began to show on his face.

The Strawhats couldn't understand what was making him react this way - it couldn't be _that_ bad, could it?

The crew were justly startled, having never before seen such a range of emotions cross over Zoro's face.

"Oi. Nami." Zoro finally spoke, not looking up.

"E-eh?" she started. "M-me? Uh, yes?"

Zoro continued to look away as he spoke, avoiding eye contact. "Change coarse."

"Eh?" Nami asked, appearing confused, "Change coarse?"

Zoro made a noise of agreement, "Wasn't there some boring island we were planning on passing by?"

Nami hit her palm with her fist, "Oh, right! It was really dark and spooky, and it didn't look inhabited, so we were going to skip over it! We had to bribe Luffy with meat so he'd consent! Why?"

Zoro glanced up at her for a second, his head still tilted downward towards the letter in his hands, "Doesn't it match the description?"

The rest of the crew besides Zoro had a sudden shared epiphany.

"Right! It did look pretty dark, and I thought I saw an entrance on the side of the island - kind of like a cave! It's perfect!" Nami exclaimed. "Nice job, Zoro!"

Zoro murmured something in agreement as Nami stood up. "I'll be right back! I'm going to go change our course! Wait 'till I get back, ne?"

Once she had left, Sanji seemingly took the initiative to make sure that everyone _actually_ waited for her. No one argued with this decision.

* * *

><p><strong>[ TIMESKIP ]<strong>

* * *

><p>When she returned, the discussion in regards to the Lion-guy's letter started anew.<p>

"So," Nami started, as no else seemed inclined to say anything, "You never answered my question...how'd you guys meet?"

Zoro bit his lip, and moved his hand to the back of his head, to fidget with his hair. "We, uh..." Despite it having been going on for a while now, still none of the crew could quite get used to the new way Zoro was acting. Zoro, normally so bold and without a care in the world, suddenly nervous and fidgeting, and tripping over his own words. When, before, had Zoro ever had trouble figuring out what to say? When had he ever fidgeted, and acted so unsure, in front of his own crew? His _family_?

Never before had Zoro been afraid to speak his mind, to tell it like it was. Yet now, right in front of them, Zoro was having trouble choosing the right words to say. Finally, he sighed deeply, and began to tell the crew a bit of his story.

"Reyleón is...he is a noble. And he lives on an island that he bought for himself, called Ryūnoya Paradise." The crew watched as Zoro scoffed, and shook his head. "But believe me, it's anything but. Reyleón is rotten, and cold, and - and violent. He...he would - _hurt_ - his own wife. His own...son."

The Stawhat members' eyes widened in shock. "What the hell?!" Sanji growled, as crushed his cigarette between his teeth.

Robin's eyes narrowed at this new information, and Nami's jaw hung loose. Brook was silent, and Franky's fists were clenched, his teeth grinding as he glared. Usopp looked upset for the mother and child's sake, while Chopper was crying. Luffy, meanwhile, had his head down, his straw hat shadowing his face. His lips were drawn into a firm line, and his knuckles were white as his hands shook, his nails cutting into his skin causing his palms to bleed.

All the while, Zoro didn't look up - didn't look them in the eye - he couldn't. Not when they didn't know...when they didn't know, that he was talking about _himself_, and his _own mother._ The very same mother that he had _abandoned_, that he had left to fend for herself. His weak, frail, and _beautiful_ mother - so strong in spirit, and in heart, but oh so _weak_ when it came to physical strength. She had no way to defend herself. And yet, he had left her, _alone_. For _years_. He could never forgive himself for that. _Never_.

And now, he gets this letter. All this time...what has Reyleón been doing to her? What...

_What has __**he**__ done?_

* * *

><p><strong>[ CHAPTER 3: END ]<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>{ ¡JA NE! }<strong>

**-BL ~(o_O)~**


	4. What Have I Done?

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece._

* * *

><p><strong>[ whistling ] <em>Writin' my feels away~<em>**

**A/N: This is a short one (really short), but considering I literally just updated like a matter of minutes ago, we're gunna let that slide this one time, ne? This is just a little something I wanted to add on to the last chapter, but I didn't really think it'd fit in well with another chapter - thought it was more of a stand-alone kinda thing, ya know? Yeah. Enjoy~**

**A/N: EDIT: As of 8:50 AM o****n April 30th 2015, I have added chapter titles and disclaimers to all the chapters that didn't have them. This will be the new format. I have also developed a new format for the pagebreakers and such. I hope you like it.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: EDIT: EDIT: You know what? I'm adding something at the bottom, too.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: EDIT: EDIT: EDIT: IMPORTANT! I have changed the summary on this fic. I just thought you should know, so that if you get a story alert for this, you know it's The Noble Swordman and not something else. Thank you. **

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Noble Swordsman<strong>

**Chapter 4: What Have I Done?**

* * *

><p><em>What has <em>_**he**__ done?_

If only...if only he hadn't left...maybe he could've become stronger, strong enough to _protect_ her.

No. No, even more - if he just hadn't gone to his Father like an _idiot _- if he had just used his _brain_, for once! Why did he have to tell his Father? _Why_?

_"Mother told me about it! It is something that you will do anything to achieve, even if you die trying!"_

Why did he have to be so _stupid_?

_"Hmth! That's pathetic! Who would try so hard for something so stupid, even going as for as to DIE for it! And you said your mother told you this?"_

...why...why did he...?

_"Y-yes, sir..."_

...if only he hadn't...!

_"I'll have to have a talk with her..."_

...why...?

_"Iris...what have you been teaching our boy... This little brat was just going on about how he wanted to be a swordsmen..."_

...no...it...

_"Kit?" Reyleón mocked. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. You must stop babying the boy!"_

...it...!

_"Shut up, annoying crow! This is exactly why I can't stand you!"_

**...it was all his fault!**

_Everything_! If only he hadn't been such an _idiot_! It was _his_ fault his Father was always so mad at Mother! _He_ made him mad! _He_ angered him! _He_ was the one who told his Father about what Mother had told him! If only he had kept his _mouth shut_! _Maybe none of this would have ever happened!_

His Father wouldn't have attacked his Mother, _again_!

His Mother wouldn't have had to fight back!

She wouldn't have had to _protect __**him**_!

He wouldn't have left!

He wouldn't have left her _alone_ with _him_!

She wouldn't have had to _suffer_!

And even more so...

Kuina would've never had to **die** either!

If he had never left, never left Ryūnoya Paradise...!

All the people he's _hurt_!

Everything he's _done_!

_Everything is __**his**__ fault!_

_'What_..._**what have I done?!'**_

* * *

><p><strong>[ CHAPTER 4: END ]<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>{ ¡JA NE! }<strong>

**-BL ~(o_O)~**


End file.
